Yarn tensioning device



June 16, 1953 E. J. HEIZER YARN TENSIONING DEVICE Filed May 19, 1950 Arrow Patented June 16, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENf -t OF-FICE" A YARN TENSIONING DEVICE j n I Edward J. Heizer, Mountain Lakes, N. J; assignor t to Specialties Development Corporation, Belleh, Y

' ville, N; J., acorporation of New Jersey", a AnnlicationMay19 ,1950,SerialNo.163,00l 7 Claims. (01. 242-155) The present invention relates to devices for,

tensioning yarn wherein the input tension is comput tension, and, more particularly, relates to improvements in such devices suitable'for use ,:in connection with yarn tensioning; or stretching processes of the type disclosed in United States Letters Patent 2,220,958, although the devices may have other general utility. :7

Accordingly, the more important objects of the present invention are to provide such devices which are relatively simple and: economical in construction, are easily assembled and installed, are readily adjustable to "accurately, vary the tension withindesired limits,i:and are capable of withstandingsuch rough usage to which they normally may be subjected.

Other and further objects of the invention pensated to attain a substantially uniform outprising a base It, astem H, a cam body 12, a

will be obviousupon an understanding of the illustrative embodiment about to be described, or will be indicated in the appended claims; and various advantages not referred to herein will occur to one skilled in the art upon employment of the invention in practice. p

In accordance with the invention, these objects are accomplished by providing a yarn tensioning device comprising a stem, a stop on the stem, a pulley over which yarn is adapted to pass rotatably mounted on the stem adjacent thestop,

a cam, means between the cam and the pulley arranged to be actuated by the cam to move axially with respect to the stem and retard rotation of the pulley; a member mounted for rotation about the stem for causing the aforementioned means to be actuated by the cam,'=a spring for urging the member into a position to cause the means-to urge the pulley against the stop, and an arm 'on the member responsive toyarn passing over the pulley for operating the memher in opposition to "the spring tp" decrease the effectiveness of g the means I to *retard rotation of the pulley Preferably, the stop is 'ad'justable'on therstem, and'the rorce'of the springmay be varied to adjust the device for varying thetensionputintothe-yarn. H 7 I A preferred embodiment of the invention has been chosen for purposes of illustration and description, and is shown in thefaccompanying drawing, forming 'a part of the specification, wherein: a

T Figure l is a topview of a yarn tensiom.

ing device in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken along the line2-2onFigure'1 m a coactingwithj the ball bearings to'serve' as eam I Figure 3 is a perspective viewof the cam.-

Referring to the drawing in detail; there is shown a yarn tensioning device generally comspring 14:, a spring housing I5, cam actuated means lfiyan arm H, a pulley-|9 and a stop 20.

The stem l I hasfa shoulder 2| adjacent one end thereof whichengages a shoulder 22 in the central bore of the cam body (Figure 4), and this end of the stem extends through an'aperture 24 in the base and has a-nuti25 threaded thereon to fix the stem and cam body on the base.

The cam body l2 has a cylindrical section 26 adjacent the base which extends through a central aperture '21. in the spring housing IE to.

mount the housing for rotation on the cam body, and has an enlarged cylindrical section 29 providing a'shoulder for holding the spring housing against'the base. a Set screw means including a clamping plate 3fl serve to hold the-housing againstrotation with-respect to the base. The cam body section 29 further serves to provide means for rotatably mounting a cup-likemem'f ber 3| constituting an element of the cam actuated means It and having the arm I"! mounted thereon. The end of the section 29 is formed with a pair or. l-80[,carn surfaces 32, the function of which will "become apparent hereinafter.

The cup-like member 3| has a central aperture 34 through which theistem extends, and has a cylindrical bore 35' for receiving the cam body section '29; r The member 31 further has a pair of diametrically opposite apertures 36 parallel to the aperture 34, and a pair of'ball'bearings 31 are disposed in each'oi the apertures 38,- one of each pair being in contact with one of the cam surfacfes 3-2 and the other ofeach pair being in contact with a centrally apertured thrust ring 39 mounted tor axial movement on the stemjand followermeans. r r j The stopv 20 is threadedly secured to the free end of the stem to facilitate axial adjustment thereon and the pulley I9 is rotatably-mounted on. the stem adjacent the stop. A collar 40 is mounted between thethrust ring 39 and the pulley for axial movement on the stem and is held against rotation with respect to the stem by a pin and groovearran'gement generally indicated by the reference numeral 4|. Preferably, friction elements; such as felt washers 42 and 43 or the like, are positioned between the collar 40 3 and the pulley and between the pulley and the stop 20, respectively.

In order to retard rotation of the pulley, a coiled spring I4 has one end secured to the spring housing and has its other end secured to the rotatably mounted member 3| in a manner whereby the member 3| normally tends to rotate in a direction a: cause the cam surfaces 32 to move the ball bearings in their apertures 35 to engage the thrust ring 39 and axially move the thrust ring which in turn moves the collar towards the pulley to urge the latter'towards the stop. The effective force of the spring 14 may be varied by rotation of the spring housing into desired positions in relation to the base and securing the housing in such positions by means of the set screw operated clamping plate' 36;

The foregoing described device is particularly adapted for putting tension in yarn by passing the same over or around the pulley and retard- A ing rotation of the pulley by applyinga braking force thereon bymeans of the spring [4 to ef-' fect tensioning of the yarn. In order to control the degree of tensioning of the yarn, the yarn passing over the pulley is led throughan'eye 4-6 or the like at the end of the arm ll in amanner to cause the yarn upon excessive tensioning thereof to efiect movement of the arm and the member 3| inopposition of the spring and movement of ball bearings 31 in relation to the cam surfaces 32 to lessen the retarding force on the pulley applied by the collar 40 and the thrust ring 39, as shown in Figure 4.

From the foregoing description, it will be seen that the present invention provides a useful device for putting yarn under tension wherein the degree of tensioning of the yarn can be accurately predetermined by; adjusting the force of the spring .and the relative position of the elements cooperating to retard rotation of the yarn tensioning pulley, and, such tensioning is maintained at a substantially constant value in response to'the ouput tension of the yarn.

As various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts herein, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention and withoutsacrifiicing any of its advantages, it is to be understood that all matter herein is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in any limiting sense.

Iclaim:

1. A device for tensioning yarn comprising a stem, a stop on said stem, a pulley rotatably mounted on said stem adjacent said stop having an annular surface over which yarn is adapted to pass to rotate the pulley, a cam, means between said cam and said pulley arranged to be actuated by said cam to move axially with respect to said stem and urge said pulley against said stop and to apply a braking force on said pulley to retard rotation thereof, a member mounted for rotation about the longitudinal axis "of said stem for causing said means to be actuated by said cam, a spring for urgingsaid member into a position to cause said means to urge said pulley against said stop, and an arm on said member responsive to the yarn passing over said pulley for operating said member in oppoadapted to pass to rotate the pulley, a cam secured to said stem having cam surfaces facing said pulley, cam follower means positioned about said stem between said cam and said pulley and arranged to be actuated by said cam to move axially with respect to said stem and urge said pulley against said stop and to apply a braking force on said pulley to retard rotation thereof, a member mounted for rotation about the longitudinal axis of said stem for causing said means to be actuated by said cam, a spring for urging said member into a position to cause said means to urge said pulley against said stop, and

s an arm on said member engaged by and responsive to the yarn passing over said pulley for operating said member in opposition to said spring to decrease the efiectiveness of said means to v retard rotation of said pulley.

3. A device for tensioning yarn comprising a stem, a stop on said stem, a pulley rotatably mounted on said stem adjacent said stop having an annular surface over which yarn is adapted to pass to rotate the pulley, a cam. meansbetween said cam and said pulley arranged to be actuated by said cam to move axially with respect to said stem and urge said pulley against said stop and to apply a braking force on said pulley to retard rotation thereof, a member mounted for rotation on said stem for causing said means to be actuated by said cam, a spring for urging said member into a position to cause said means to urge said pulley against said stop, an arm on said member responsive to the yarn passing over said pulley for operating said member in opposition to said spring to decrease the efiectiveness of said means to retard rotation of said pulley, and means for adjusting the position of said stop on said stem.

4. A device for tensioning yarn comprising a stem, a stop on said stem, a pulley rotatably mounted on said stem adjacent said stop having an annular surface over which yarn is adapted to pass to rotate the pulley, a cam, means between said cam and said pulley ar ranged to be actuated by said cam to move axially with respect to said stem and urge said pulley-against said stop and to apply a braking force on said pulley to retard rotation thereof, a member mounted for rotation about the longitudinal axis of said stem for causing said means to be actuated by said cam, aspring for urging said member into a position to cause said means to urge said pulley against said stop, an arm on said member responsive to the yarn passing over said pulley for operating said member in opposition to said spring to decrease the sition to said spring to decrease the effective 7 ness of said means to retard rotation of said pulley.

2. A device for tensioning yarn comprising a fixed stem, a stopon said stem, a pulley rotatablymounted on said stem adjacent said stop having an annular surface over-which yarn is effectiveness of said means to retard rotation of said pulley, and means for varying the force of saidspring.

5. A device for tensioning yarn comprising a fixed stem, a stop on said stem, a pulley rotatably mounted on said stemadjacent said stop having an annular surface over which yarn is adapted topass to rotate the pulley, a friction element between said stop and said pulley, a cam secured to-said stem, means between said cam and said pulley including a frictionelement for engaging said pulley arranged to be actuated by said cam to move axially with respect to said stem and urge said pulley toward said stop and to apply a braking force on said pulley to cause said friction elements to retard rotation of said pulley, a member mounted for rotation on said stem for causing said means to: be'actuated .by said cam, a spring for urging said member into a position to cause said meansto urge said pulley toward said stop, and an arm on said member responsive to the yarn passing over said pulley for operating said member in opposition to said spring to decrease the effectiveness of said friction elements to retard rotation of said pulley.

6. A device for tensioning yarn comprising a fixed stem, a stop' on said stem, a pulley rotatably mounted on said stem adjacent said stop having an annular surface over which yarn is adapted to pass to rotate the pulley, a cam secured to said stem, a member mounted for rotation about said stem adjacent said cam, cam follower means associated with said member adapted to be actuated by said cam upon rotation of said member, a member between said cam follower means and said pulley mounted for axial movement on said stem and retained against rotative movement with respect thereto, a spring for urging said rotatable member into a position to cause said cam to actuate said cam follower means and said axially movable member to urge said pulley against said stop and to apply a braking force on said pulley to retard rotation thereof and thereby tension the yarn, and an arm on said rotatable member engaged by and responsive to the yarn passing over said pulley for moving said rotatable member about said stem in opposition to said spring to decrease the effectiveness of said cam follower means and said axially movable member to retard rotation of said pulley.

7. A device for tensioning yarn comprising a fixed stem, a stop on said stem, a pulley rotatably mounted on said stem adjacent said stop having an annular surface over which yarn is adapted to pass to rotate the pulley, a friction element between said stop and said pulley, a cam secured to said stem having cam surfaces facing said pulley, a member mounted for rotation about said stem adjacent said cam, cam follower means associated with said member adapted to be actuated by said cam upon rotation of said member, a member between said cam follower means and said pulley mounted for axial movement on said stem and retained against rotative movement with respect thereto, a second friction element between said pulley and said last mentioned member, a spring for urging said rotatable member into a position to cause said cam to actuate said cam follower means and said axially movable member to urge said pulley against said stop and to apply a braking force on said pulley through said friction elements to retard rotation of said pulley and thereby tension the yarn, an arm on said rotatable member engaged by and responsive to the yarn passing over said pulley for moving said rotatable member about said stem in opposition to said sprin to decrease the effectiveness of said cam follower means, said axially movable member and said friction elements to retard rotation of said pulley, means for adjusting the position of said stop on said stem and means for varying the force of said spring.

EDWARD J. HEIZER. 

